September 13, 2025

Waxahachie, TX – The Nelson University Lions football team returned to Lumpkins Stadium on Saturday, September 13, for their 2025 home opener against No. 18 Ottawa University Arizona in a Sooner Athletic Conference showdown. The afternoon featured big plays, physical battles, and the debut of the Lions in front of their home crowd for the new season.

Nelson struck first, as quarterback Judah Holtzclaw connected with wideout BJ Clark on a 54-yard bomb down the sideline. Clark's catch lit up the crowd and gave the Lions a 7–0 advantage just over seven minutes into the first quarter.

OUAZ, however, showcased why they entered the matchup nationally ranked and boasting the league's reigning offensive and defensive players of the week. The Spirit answered with a lightning-quick 71-yard drive capped by a 6-yard touchdown toss from Luke Giron to Frankie Valenti, then added a 19-yard scoring strike to Marques Reese as the first quarter expired.

The second quarter continued to tilt in the Spirit's favor. Giron muscled in for a 6-yard touchdown run, and later, Reese found the end zone again on a 4-yard rush to close the half. That surge created a 28–7 cushion that held through the final whistle.

Despite the final tally, there were bright spots for Nelson. Holtzclaw was sharp under center, completing 14 of 17 passes for 154 yards and a touchdown, spreading the ball to six different receivers.

Clark provided the highlight of the day, finishing with 78 yards on two receptions, including the Lions' first touchdown at Lumpkins in 2025

On defense, Jackson Spence and Treshoun Ware each tallied four tackles to anchor the effort.

Nelson falls to 0–2 on the season, while OUAZ goes to 2–0.

Next Up
The Lions hit the road for more SAC action, traveling to Little Rock, Arkansas, on Saturday, September 20, for a 2:00 PM kickoff against Arkansas Baptist College.

Nelson University (formerly SAGU) is a private Christian university, established in 1927 by P.C. Nelson. The University is located 30 minutes south of the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex in Waxahachie, Texas, and offers more than 70 associate, bachelor's, master's, and doctoral degrees on campus or online. For more information, visit www.nelson.edu or by calling 1-888-YES-NELSON.